Chapter 5 The Organization of Congress

1. Chapter 5The Organization of Congress Section 1 Congressional Membership

2. Congressional Sessions • Each term of Congress has two sessions. • Each session lasts until Congress votes to adjourn.

3. Membership of the House • Members must be at least 25 years old, citizens for at least 7 years and residents of their states.

4. Membership of the House • Members serve for 2-year terms. • The number of representatives from each state is determined by the census population count every 10 years.

5. Membership of the House • State legislatures set up congressional districts after the census count – one representative for each district.

6. Membership of the Senate • Senators must be at least 30 years old, citizens for at least 9 years, and residents of their state.

7. Membership of the Senate • Senators serve for 6-year terms. • 1/3 are elected every two years. • Each state elects two senators.

8. Membership of the Senate • The Senate and the House set members’ salaries, and receive numerous benefits such as business trips, tax breaks, and healthy pensions.

9. Membership of the Senate • Both House and Senate members enjoy immunity from arrest, in cases not involving felony or treason.

10. Membership of the Senate • House and Senate members cannot be sued for liability while Congress is in session.

11. Membership of the Senate • Both the Senate and the House may refuse a position to any member or they may expel members.

12. Journal • When your row is called, grab your book and open to page 123. • If you were a politician, would you rather be a member of the House of the Senate? EXPLAIN!

13. The Members of Congress • Nearly half the members of Congress are lawyers.

14. The Members of Congress • White, middle-aged male members are being joined by members reflecting the ethnic, racial, and gender makeup of the general population.

15. The Members of Congress • Most incumbent, or returning, members of Congress win reelection to office because they are well known and can raise money easier.

16. The Members of Congress • Many incumbent members also represent districts gerrymandered in favor of their parties.

17. Journal • When your row is called, grab your book and open to page 128. • Members of Congress spend part of their time working for reelection. Which house has a greater percentage of its time remaining for legislative work? WHY?

18. Chapter 5The Organization of Congress Section 2 The House of Representatives

19. Rules for Lawmaking • Each house of Congress has complex rules to help members conduct business.

20. Rules for Lawmaking • Congress carries out most of its work by committees. Because of its large size, committee work is more important in the House.

21. Rules for Lawmaking • Party membership guides Congress its work, since the majority party in each house controls the committees.

22. House Leadership • The Speaker of the House is leader of the majority party and has great power and influence over its members.

23. House Leadership • Floor leaders of both the majority and minority party schedule the work of the House and push bills through committees.

24. Journal • The Speaker of the House follows the vice president in the line of presidential succession. Do you support or object to this plan? EXPLAIN! • When your row is called, grab your textbook from the shelf and open to page 132.

25. Lawmaking in the House • Members attend House floor sessions to vote on legislation.

26. Lawmaking in the House • All laws begin as bills introduced in the House, then go to committee.

27. Lawmaking in the House • If approved, the bill is then put on the proper calendar, listing the order in which it is to be debated on the House floor.

28. Lawmaking in the House • The House Rules Committee receives all bills approved by the various committees.

29. Lawmaking in the House • The Rules Committee determines which bills will be considered by the full House and places them on the House Calendar.

30. Lawmaking in the House • The Rules Committee sends bills to the floor, for all the House members to vote on.

31. Journal • When your row is called, grab your textbook from the shelf and open to page 135. • Why is so much of the work of Congress done in committees?

32. Chapter 5The Organization of Congress Section 3 The Senate

33. The Senate at Work • The Senate has fewer rules then the House. Senators have more freedom to express their views and are less subject to party discipline.

34. The Senate at Work • The atmosphere in the Senate is more informal then in the House.

35. The Senate at Work • The vice president presides over the Senate but has little power.

36. The Senate at Work • The President Pro Tempore often presides.

37. The Senate at Work • The Senate majority floor leader is that party’s leader responsible for guiding bills through the Senate.

38. The Senate at Work • The minority leader develops criticisms of the majority party.

39. The Senate at Work • Majority and minority whips assist floor leaders.

40. Lawmaking in the Senate • Senate leaders control the flow of bills to committees and to the floor for debate.

41. Lawmaking in the Senate • The Senate has only two calendars: Calendar of General Order and the Executive Calendar.

42. Lawmaking in the Senate • A filibuster – unlimited debate on a bill to defeat it – can be ended only by a 3/5 vote.

43. Lawmaking in the Senate • In recent years a two-track procedural system has weakened the filibuster as a legislative weapon.

44. Lawmaking in the Senate • The majority party controls the flow of legislative work in the Senate.

45. Journal • When your row is called, grab your textbook from the shelf and open to page 138. • Why are procedures more informal in the Senate than in the House of Representatives?

46. Chapter 5The Organization of Congress Section 4 Congressional Committees

47. Purpose of Committees • Committees ease Congressional workload by dividing work among small groups.

48. Purpose of Committees • Committees allow members to discuss and select the most important bills Congress will consider.

49. Kinds of Committees • Standing committees deal with certain issues continuing from one Congress to the next. • Judiciary Committee

50. Kinds of Committees • Subcommittees handle special subcategories of standing committees’ work, and also continue from one Congress to the next. • Social Security